A good Georgia Peach is hard to find…even in Georgia.

August 8, 2011

I have some beautiful peaches right now at Babette’s. Running a dessert: Cobbled Peaches with Our Own Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Several of my customers have asked how to find a good peach. They are finding mealy, mushy peaches in the grocery stores. I often have the same problem.

The peaches that are shipped to grocery stores, even some of the ones from Georgia are picked too early,(very yellow) and chilled to just above freezing before they are shipped. I think if they freeze, they become mushy when ripened.

My produce company buys the peaches from a local source. They are a beautiful color. Sometimes they come in a little hard, but they always ripen into smooth, sweet, juicy and luscious little gems while left at room temperature. Small farmer’s markets should have good local peaches and they are worth the trip.

Sometimes I have luck in the stores by looking for a peach with good deep reddish color. They should be mostly firm, with just a little softness near the skin. Take them home and leave them on the counter until they are soft. At that point, if you haven’t eaten them all, they can be chilled.